Universal joint



une l? w1924.

R. A. KAPS UNIVERSAL JOINT Filed Sept. l5. 1920 Win/d WM5# 4'surfaces 'to positively limit the angular remembers.

lation between theA external and internal When the internal member is pushed inwardly and the shafts suiiiciently disaligned, the inner end of the internal member will act as a stop and flatly engage against the inner conical surface, conversely when the. internal member is drawn outwardly, the dat surface of the inner member may be engaged with the outer conical surface.

ln explanation, if the internal member 2 is tilted downwardly from the position shown in Fig. 1, the upper ball will move along its groove 5 toward the end of the internal member at the left and the opposite lower ball will move along its groove toward the right or shaft end of the internal member, the internal member pivoting on the other pair of balls which will not be moved along their grooves because the axis of this pivotal movement is coincident with the common axis of this pair of balls. The internal and external members may be referred to generically as driving and driven members concentrically and rotatively and pivotally connected by the balls in pairs disposed at ri ht angles.

The springs 10 accommo ate for torque and angular strains imparted to the balls and their sockets yieldingly urge the same toward the axis for maintaining the balls in their grooved key-ways. The springs 10 lare so designed that they will fully comress and stop further movement of the balls outwardly at a point at which the balls cannot becomedlsengaged from the grooves. e

The grooves 5 are -uniform from end to end and extend equidistant fromv the axis of the internal member to effect the uniform operation of the joint at all relative longitudinal positions of the external and internal members within the effective ran e of the engagement of the grooves with t e balls, and the grooves are extended to permit the operation of the joint as a telescope joint within a practical range. Thus, the device operates as a combined universal and telescope joint.

The external member 1 extends beyond the joint proper on the end thereof oppo- 4 site to the shaft 3 of the internal mem and terminates in an outward extending vcircumferential arge 13 which is secured to the usual shaft the usual manner. The shaft flange Ais secured to a shaftl in the usual manner, a

adjacent end of the internal member 2 and ange 14 by bolts-15 in.

tends to move the internal member outwardly, this being used where two of these joints are used in a' tumble shaft assembly to maintain the internal members in proper longitudinal position.`

The'end of the external member opposite the flange 13 is grooved circumiierentially on the enlarged end and a dust cover QG of flexible material, such as leather, is secured therein by a wire ring 21, and the other end or the cover is secured to the shaft 3 by a wire ring 22, all as is usual.

While l have herein shown and particularly described the preferred embodiment 'of my invention, i do not -wish to be limited to the precise details of construction shown, as changes may readily be made without departing from the spirit of my invention, but'having thus described my invention, l claim as newV and desire to secure by Let-- 'ters Patent, the following:

1. A universal joint coupling comprising a tubular housing member closed at one end,

and providing an internal constricted portion merging into flared conical portions at each slde of said constricted portion, a plurality of spaced radial sockets in said housin aligned in a rotative plane and centrally Vmtersectin said constricted portion, a shaft member isposed within said housing and providing outwardly facing straight longitudlnal semi-cylindrical ooves, and

balls engaging said grooves an corresponding sockets 'to iiexibly and rotatably join said members, said flared ortions permitting increased angular radius of operation `of said members and limiting axial dis- Valignment of the same.

able in said sockets to flexibly and rotatably join-said members, said ared portions acting to limit axial disali'gnment of said members. In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name, as attested by the two subscribing` witnesses.

- RICHARD A. KAPS.

Witnesses:

. E. M. ELxAN,

. A. JAHN. 

